Gillian Welch

Sunday morning. Feeling like shit? I have some stuff that might just make you feel a little better. Five covers that will blow your mind. Ready?

1. Young The Giant Covers “Ignition” (Remix) by R. Kelly

I’ve been telling myself for years that if I could sing, I would be sure to put on a fur jacket and do a cover of R. Kelly’s Ignition Remix at least once a day. What a fucking coincidence that Young The Giant came around and did the exact same thing. Whatttt?! Mind: blown.

2. Niia Covers “BTSTU” by Jai Paul

Jai Paul’s “BTSTU” still gets multiple rotations on my iTunes, particularly when I’m driving to work and needing to get excited about the day ahead. What could be more excited than getting to sing “don’t fuck with me, don’t fuck with me” in a high-pitched voice? Nothing. Niia seems to think so too. She’s shared with us her sexy version of BTSTU, admittedly sexier than my car rendition.

3. Niia Covers “Mad World” by Tears for Fears

While we’re on the topic of Niia, she also created a beautiful cover of Tears for Fears’s “Mad World.” By adding a harp, a harder beat, and a bit of speed, Niia might have just created the best cover of this oft-covered song that I’ve heard yet.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich doesn’t have a shortage of balls. Wait…that’s weird. Um…what I’m trying to say is that he doesn’t fear covering superstars. He recently covered The Beatles and now he’s taking on Gillian Welch, who might as well be folk music’s superhero. Subtle and sweet.

5. Bon Iver Covers “Coming Down” by Anais Mitchell

One of the best thing about Bon Iver covers is seeing the instrumentation. This cover features piano, guitar, and a saxophone. It’s really beautiful, as you may have come to expect from a Bon Iver performance. This is a video clip from a visit to Triple J Radio studio in Australia where he chose to cover a song by a friend of his, Anais Mitchell. He says he chose this one because “there is no way not to have feelings about it.”I’ve never been so high, I’ve never been so high, I’ve never been so high, I think I’m coming down. I’ve never laughed so loud, I’ve never laughed so loud, I’ve never laughed so loud, I think I’m coming down. Nothing going to stop me now, nothing going to stop me now, nothing going to stop me now. Please, don’t leave, easy feeling. Don’t leave me like that. Not yet. Don’t set me free. Free.